Quaint
by bxrnice
Summary: This is a story for The Originals as humans, in high school. It's AU. And it's from Klaus' point of view whilst all these things and changes are happening to his life.


It was 2003 in Cypress Creek High School, they were forced to sit next to one another in lab because they hadn't liked one another which, of course, meant they had no intentions of talking to one another, which surprisingly had brought his levels up higher; because even when he doesn't talk, he doesn't work hard enough. - He supposed it was Hayley, she was always shoving, pushing him to move and work because she wasn't about to do it on her own. She was _that_ girl and he could barely stand it. He tried to help and at one point, she was shoving him with her hips that much to try and move him, he had spilled the chemicals over their project, which had boiled her blood and all he could do was snort and sit back in his place. Not even budging to help.

He had slid next to her, shrugging the dark rucksack to the ground before he glanced over to her; hair pinned back neatly, headband holding back the baby-hairs which were threatening to flurry from it once more. She was always so bright eyed and it bugged him in a way. He had turned to the board once more, not expecting anything of her until she chimes up, words clipped. "_Stop_ being late, Klaus, _God_, you're supposed to be my **partner** in the lab, which means I'm not doing your shi- stuff."

He replies with a dismissive shrug, sinking into his seat, he almost wishes that he could take her voice box just for a day. "I didn't realize my mum was my lab partner." He retorts, the sarcasm clear in his tone. He was close to being done with her within five minutes of the lesson. And the teacher wasn't there, so who was to stop him from leaving this time?

All he can see from the corner of his eye is that she's staring at him, with those large hazel eyes which look like they're about to roll from her head; he barely turns his attention to her, rolling his eyes, snorting slightly at the vein barely protruding on her forehead. He enjoyed it, that he could actually get _that_ far under his skin.

"Why do you always have to be so obnoxious?" She finally says, it took her some time, but she was too busy trying to think of something smart and witty to say because hey, he always says something sat there in his head and it annoys her to no extent.

Klaus barely tilts his head at her, pulling the physics book open, trying to seem interested in the contents but he's not, he's trying to just make her feel as though she's being ignored, because it makes him feel better on a Monday morning, and then, he can see her copying. He sinks into the sound of the room, of the other students laughing and gossiping about what had happened the night before with their part-of-the-football team boyfriends and all the other stuff he couldn't have less interest in. And before he lowers his head into the crook of his arm, he mutters. "Because I can."

* * *

It's lunch and he's sitting with all those other people who couldn't give a damn about the latest news, hate the cafeteria food and are just going to sit and talk about the girls which, evidently, none of them could have because, if no one could tell from looking at them, they weren't exactly on the football team. And if you didn't have the body or the popularity, they'd barely give you a glance of disgust, let alone a minute of their time.

And the topic of Hayley comes up, how she was dating Elijah; his brother. If it wasn't enough that she hated him, she managed to get his brother, have his sister as her best friend and also maintaining the status of being one of the smartest girls in his year. He could admit, he was rather impressed, it was hard for a girl to do that. But there was a downside, she didn't have humor.

"It's her ass, I _swear_ it." Peter chimes in, with all the other boys as they ponder as she walks through the courtyard, to the bench where all of the other girls are sat. And he has had enough of hearing about her, everything revolves around her at his house, and at school. He needs a lunch of not a breathing word of her name, not even a whisper because he's close to throwing the next person who mentions her, to the ground.

"She's a bitch," and that's when they all stop to stare at him, as though he had just murdered someone. He shrugs, rolling his shoulders then as the uncomfortable stares still linger. "You guys know she is a bitch, she's not hot; she's smart and immature. The things she will always be. Now stop staring at me like I just threw her under a bus." And it's followed by a murmur, "not like I haven't thought about doing that, though."

And it takes them a moment before they turn to one another and whisper something. Something about her hair or her perfume, but he's too busy not caring to even try and make out what they are saying. If it's anything about those self-righteous girls, he doesn't even want to know. He never wants to know, they only ever gets praise; where's theirs? All they do is parade around in heels like sorority girls. There's a memo, that doesn't start until they join CU.

"_Yeeeeaaaaah_, Klaus, you're being a dick about the hot chicks. Just once admit, that if you saw her in a white bikini in your pool, you'd melt like ice in heat." And he can see they are all melting at the thought of it and he barely suppresses the need to throw up.

"I've seen more, I've seen her parading around my house, walking up and down the stairs in her underwear, in her bikinis or even just an over sized shirt. It's repulsive. And I'd happily let you take my place because she's sickeningly ski-" And just about as he is going to carry on, his brother throws the rugby ball at him. He can tell Elijah knows what he's talking about, just by the expression on his face. It clearly reads in flashing letters 'shut the fuck up before I kick the shit out of you' and wow, it's serious. Though, all he does is throw the rugby ball to the trash can next to their table and lounge back, eyes slimming before he gets himself up. "My brother would kick the crap out of all of you, and you know it, even if it was one of his ex's. So just stop, _Jesus_."

* * *

At home he sits there, lounging in the pool chair as the maid scurries about, he's too engrossed in his laptop to notice anything apart from his friends chanting as they come into the back, through their gate. He knows what they're doing here and he barely pays them any attention, it's boring when all they focus on is girls. He's supposed to be at that place, and he gets that, but he seriously cannot be bothered with the effort of it at the moment, all they want from him is his money or to be closer to Elijah. And he's not up for putting up with the shit that comes with half of it, the last time that happened, Hayley almost pushed Sarah (his ex) from the balcony after they had a long chat about where they stood on the matter of Elijah.

_Hell no_. He's isn't doing that again.

They all take seats beside him, chanting dimming now because of the one reason he knew they would. His sister and Hayley have come and joined them, and he knew they were doing it to spite him because he had specifically told them to stay inside whilst he was out there. He couldn't be bothered with their poor excuses for bikinis, their flesh overly exposed. And it made him feel uncomfortable staring at their asses being in his face.

"I told you elves that you should stay inside; I know that you're slow at processing when I tell you stuff, Rebekah, but come on. You're smart, Hayley, where's your lapdog instinct about following instructions?" Rebekah just flips her hair before scurrying to get into the water because he knows that she's more shifted about the way Peter, Andrew and Harry are staring at her. Where as Hayley doesn't care, she marched towards Klaus with all too much confidence, takes the Raybands from his head, slipping them on before lounging next to him on the sun lounger.

He was suppressing the irritation, but he wasn't going to allow _her_ to get under his skin. "Get over yourself, Mikaelson." She says, even behind the shades she's staring at him and he shifts slightly. "Klaus, will you stop being a prat; do what you and your dogs do, observe what you can never have and get on with your sad, pathetic life." Rebekah chirped from the pool, calling to Harry quickly. "_Harry, go fetch me a towel_." Klaus scowls at her. _Who the hell does she think she is? _He's practically bursting to snap at her.

"Why don't you go be prissy elsewhere, sister? How about chasing the tale of...what was his name? The freak you guys call a quarterback? Jack, right? Go follow him about like a lost sheep." He's still engulfed in the laptop, and can practically feel the stares burning right through him and Rebekah, to say they were siblings, they looked like they were about to rip one another's heads off.

And it's just then that they all shift away when Elijah enters, the red shorts fitting comfortably around his waist. The color suits him; but he'd never say that. It sounds, as others would say, _gay_. And he hates the term and wants to shove every persons head in the toilets that ever even called something that.

Elijah stands at the end of the pool, glancing from the cluster of Klaus' friends, to Rebekah, to Hayley and then to Klaus. He gracefully walks towards Hayley, their lips connecting in a kiss that makes him want to throw himself in the pool and not surface. But, it's a little too late when Elijah surfaces himself from _that_ pool of grossness. "Klaus, get your ass up and come with me; we need to talk." He's snappy, as per usual when he wants to talk about something serious with him, and he knows what it's about, he just doesn't want to say anything.

"Well, I'm exiting the freak show for a while." He slides the laptop aside, elevating himself before following his brother to the kitchen doors. It's most likely about his negativity.

His brother pauses for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows in unamusement. "You're being a complete asshole; you trash my football, talk shit about Hayley daily and then expect to come home and talk to our sister like crap? It's not happening, Klaus, sort yourself out before I beat it in to you. We're fed up, maintaining a status whilst you're still at the school, at least make an effort to do something to sort yourself out; because I hear that they're about to put something to you that you won't enjoy." Klaus fake winces at the threat.

"I'm sure you have more _exciting_ things to be doing, and things you deem to be important; such as doing your hair. And you may want to sort your girlfriend out considering she is the one wearing the skimpiest outfit there is. Before you dare threaten me, _brother_, I suggest you get all the things you need fixing with your life; **fixed**." Klaus picks up the apple, shoves it in his mouth and exits through the door once more, but not quick enough for him to not be able to hear the words coming from his lips.

"Sarcasm isn't a defense, Klaus, it'll get you nowhere in life but the shit beaten out of you."

Klaus stops in his tracks, barely looking over his shoulder to his brother and how he was stood there with his defensive stance. He could remember his drunken father breathing those very words to him before locking him out of the house. That was a surprise to him, actually, his father wasn't a monster, but he was very much a person he loathed with a burning passion. He turns, slowly, and paces forward towards his brother, pupils slimmed now and the irritation plastered across his face clearly.

"You're wrong there, sarcasm is a defense and it's better then what you've ever done, I'm not going to do what you do, sit down and act as though I don't understand, because unlike you. I have an IQ higher than 10. You may be smart enough to understand sports; but that's all you're good for. Don't try and give me advice when you're handed everything, including the ladies panties. - Which reminds me. I know about Lucy and suggest you don't fuck her again or I'll tell Hayley. Be sure to let her out at 3 in the morning rather than 7 next time." Klaus is defensive in the littlest of terms as he paces away; Elijah knows little about what Klaus goes through daily. And that's why he's so sarcastic and obnoxious and keeps to himself, because they all are above him in school, they're above him in popularity. He's learned through signs been stuck to his back and him being smacked down to the point he can barely stand. "Don't _ever_ criticize me." He now plucks the shades from his brothers head and walks back towards his seat, knowing fully well, considering his voice had just raised, that those sat outside could have heard him, but his voice hadn't expressed enough because Hayley didn't seem to be bursting with anger, which he was almost relieved about.

* * *

Everyone has left by now at lunch, they're all sat as a family at the table, forks only being heard against the plates. Elijah, Rebekah and Klaus don't look at one another. He's prepared for the impact of Mikael and Esther, yelling at them all for falling out with one another. It's just a matter of time before it begins. It just before that can even happens, Mikael falls from his seat. They're gawping at him, but not moving, as though they have been glued there. What are they supposed to do? He's done this before, where it's all a joke for them to put team efforts in, but that's not what's happening here. Because the look on his mothers face is horror and the scream rips through her like a banshee. And it hurts his ears to hear, his heart is wrenched from his chest as he stands, the chair falls over as his eyes follow his mother to the ground, his siblings are soon to follow.

_What the hell?_ Is all he can think, Mikael had been quiet the last few days, complaining of feeling ill, though, he had dismissed it. But, he never could have suspected this would happen today. Who could have suspected anything like this could happen? It'd ridiculous and he wants to follow them all to the ground, where his entire body feels hollow, the tears barely pricking at the back of his eyes. He may hate this man; loathe him with all fibers of his body, but he is his father, the man that gave him life. He can't just _die _at their lunch, this is routine for them, to sit and have lunch, to be yelled at for their petty arguments. And he feels guilty, feels strange.

It's sobs that break through his ears, Elijah panicking and running through the house before Klaus exits the room entirely. Making his way to his room to sit in the dark for a moment. He had never witnessed a man dying, especially not a man so close to him. And he had never wanted to experience it. And he feels as though he needs therapy for this hollowness in his stomach, in his head and heart. When someone so important leaves you like this, it's like taking a piece from the puzzle and leaving you to make another thing to fit there. He doesn't want to add anything, is the only thing, he just _doesn't _want to. It's that he doesn't know what he's supposed to put there; a girl? An aunt? Uncle? Animals? He's lost on this one. And he's not finding his way on his own.

Klaus lays down, in the pitch black, just willing himself to sleep for a few hours.


End file.
